Natural history of Scotland concerns the flora, fauna and mycota of Scotland.
The flora of Scotland is an assemblage of native plant species including over 1,600 vascular plants, more than 1,500 lichens and nearly 1,000 bryophytes. The total number of vascular species is low by world standards but lichens and bryophytes are abundant and the latter form a population of global importance. Various populations of rare fern exist, although the impact of 19th-century collectors threatened the existence of several species. The flora is generally typical of the north-west European part of the Palearctic realm and prominent features of the Scottish flora include boreal Caledonian forest, heather moorland and coastal machair. In addition to the native species of vascular plants there are numerous non-native introductions, now believed to make up some 43% of the species in the country.
Bryoerythrophyllum caledonicum, commonly known as Scottish beardmoss, is a moss endemic to Scotland. Recognised as a distinct species in 1982, it had been collected occasionally from 1891 onwards under other names. The largest populations are in the Breadalbane mountains including Ben Lawers with smaller populations in mainland Lochaber and on the islands of Skye and Rùm. It has a very restricted habitat, growing only on damp montane schist or basalt ledges. The species has been provisionally classified as Low Risk and receives protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Pohlia scotica, commonly known as Scottish threadmoss, is a moss endemic to Scotland. The earliest records date to 1964 and this moss was recognised as a distinct species in 1982. The largest populations are in Argyll with smaller populations in Dunbartonshire and Easter Ross. Its favoured habitat is silt, sand and gravel subject to regular inundation. The species has been provisionally classified as Lower Risk and receives protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Hylocomium splendens, commonly known as glittering woodmoss, splendid feather moss, stairstep moss, and mountain fern moss, is a perennial clonal moss with a widespread distribution in Northern Hemisphere boreal forests. It is commonly found in Europe, Russia, Alaska and Canada, where it is often the most abundant moss species. It also grows in the Arctic tundra and further south at higher elevations in, for example, northern California, western Sichuan, East Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the West Indies. In Scotland it is a characteristic species of the Caledonian Forest. Under the UK's national vegetation classification system, pinewood community W18 is named as "Pinus sylvestris-Hylocomium splendens woodland", indicating its significance in this ecosystem.
Bryum dixonii, commonly known as Dixon's threadmoss, is a moss endemic to Scotland. The species occupies montane habitats, and although rare it has a wide distribution including the central and north-west Highlands, and the islands of Skye, Rùm and St Kilda. Originally discovered on Ben Narnain, Argyll, in 1898 by Hugh N. Dixon, it was not seen again until 1964 when found by Ursula Duncan at Juanjorge in Glen Clova in Angus. As of 2000 there was no species action plan for its protection.
Marsupella arctica, commonly known as Arctic rustwort, is a species of liverwort found in the Northern Hemisphere. It is present in Alaska and Greenland and has a European distribution confined to Scotland and Svalbard. The Scottish population was first discovered in 1989 and is restricted to two sites in the Cairngorm mountains - the Lairig Ghru and Beinn a' Bhùird.
Hygrohypnum styriacum, commonly known as snow brook-moss or hygrohypnum moss is a species of moss found in the Northern Hemisphere.
Didymodon mamillosus, commonly known as Perthshire beardmoss, is a species of moss endemic to Europe. It occurs at only five sites including one in Scotland where it is classified as "Critically Endangered". The other sites are in Iceland, Germany, the Czech Republic and in north-east Spain.
Athyrium distentifolium commonly known as alpine lady-fern is a fern found in widely in the Northern Hemisphere.
Athyrium flexile, commonly known as Newman's lady-fern or the flexile lady fern, is a taxon of which is fern endemic to Scotland, it has been regarded as a species but it is considered to be an ecotype of the Alpine lady fern. This fern is pale to yellow green in colour and has elliptic, double pinnate leaves which are deciduous. This ecotype grows more quickly and matures faster than the Alpine lady fern in substrates which have low levels of nutrients and is outcompeted by the Alpine lady fern in other situations.
Jamesiella scotica is a species of lichen thought to be endemic to the United Kingdom and Ireland. In the UK, it occurs in montane habitats in England, Wales and Scotland at heights of over 200 metres, thriving on decomposing bryophytes on base-rich soils.
Tayloria lingulata, commonly known as lingulate dung moss, tongue-leaved gland-moss, or marsh collar-moss, is a moss found in montane habitats in the Northern Hemisphere including Europe, Asia and North America.
Plagiomnium medium, commonly known as Alpine thyme-moss or intermediate plagiomnium moss, is a moss found in montane habitats in the Northern Hemisphere.
Long-lying snow patches in Scotland have been noted from at least the 18th century, with snow patches on Ben Nevis being observed well into summer and autumn. Indeed, the summit observatory, which operated from 1883 to 1904, reported that snow survived on the north-east cliffs through more years than it vanished.
Calliergon cordifolium is a species of moss in the Calliergonaceae family, commonly known as the calliergon moss or heart-leaved spearmoss. The species is abundant in the right habitat, and grows in marshes and wet woodland, especially woodland of alder (Alnus) or willow (Salix), as well as around streams, ditches and pools. The species grows in tufts among other moss species. Calliergon cordifolium requires a wet environment to grow, and often grows completely submerged in water. It typically prefers lowland, but has been recorded as high as 910 metres (1,000 yd) above sea level in Inverness, Scotland. The species has a circumpolar Boreo-temperate distribution. It is found throughout Europe. It has been recorded in north and central Asia, as well as Turkey and Japan, throughout North America and in New Zealand.
The British Bryological Society is an academic society dedicated to bryology, which encourages the study of bryophytes. It publishes the peer-reviewed Journal of Bryology.
Ditrichum cornubicum, commonly known as the Cornish path-moss, is a moss endemic to Cornwall, United Kingdom. First discovered in 1963, on a roadside west of Lanner, Cornwall by Jean Paton, it has since been found in two other places within Cornwall. It was published as new to science in 1976.
Conostomum tetragonum, or helmet-moss, is a species of bryophyte found in Europe.
Fissidens celticus, also known by its common name Welsh pocket-moss, is a species of moss in the family Fissidentaceae. It was discovered in 1958 in Pembrokeshire by A.H. Norkett and was first described as a new species by Jean Paton in 1965.
